Financial — The financial consequences of purchasing illegal HFCs may include the imposition of substantial fines and even the initiation of criminal proceedings.

Equipment/system malfunction — Improper operation of equipment or a system caused by the use of refrigerants that do not comply with the specification and quality of the virgin refrigerant may lead to reduced equipment performance. Unverified refrigerant quality results in contamination of the equipment’s refrigeration circuit with hazardous substances, reduced energy efficiency, higher operating costs and an increased risk of equipment failure.

Business — Purchasing illegal refrigerants may result in loss of customers.

Health and safety hazards — Refrigerants are “hazardous substances” whose handling requires appropriate qualifications, known as certificates.
If refrigerants do not meet the quality standards required for these substances and are not properly secured in the containers in which they are stored, they may pose a serious risk to the health and lives of installers and users.

Environmental — The achievement of the objectives of the F-gas Regulation, which is intended to contribute to the gradual reduction of HFC emissions, is threatened by illegal trading.
The risk of refrigerant leakage into the atmosphere increases when inappropriate or illegal containers are used. The uncontrolled placing of refrigerants on the market leads to their uncontrolled emission.